Urban Garden Resources

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Many people today are finding themselves in situations where they need to produce food in what is considered unconventional agriculture conditions. Whether it be due to the restrictions of limited space, such is the case for those living in cities or challenges of work with community gardens, schools, or orphanages seeking self-sufficiency, ECHO offers resources to support the farming endeavors of those with little to no land. With solutions ranging from urban gardening on rooftops to growing food in feed-sacks and tires, these techniques show how farming can be done even with limited land and resources. Through the use of local and readily available resources these options can be easily accessible and cost effective ways of supplementing food and income for those facing the challenges of urban and community gardening.

Please note that the links listed below may lead to additional resources which have not yet been added to this collection.

The purpose of this resource is to suggest several key considerations for beginning a small garden project. This information is meant to be a guideline to better assist you in the organization and implementation of particular elements crucial to making a garden project successful. While each...

1990-08-19 INTRODUCTION TO OUR SPECIAL EXPANDED ISSUE. One of ECHO's purposes is to help people grow food under difficult conditions. You are not likely to encounter a soil worse for gardening than a cement slab. Neither will you find such large areas of unused growing space in full sun and near prime...

This group pageexists so that individuals involved in UrbanGardens around the world can connect. We encourage you to share the challenges you face in your endeavors, discuss lessons and techniques learned through your experiences, and share your story!

2010-05-03 This video is a description of the Urban Garden landscape at the ECHO Global Farm in North Fort Myers, FL. Dr. Motis describes in detail the methods used and decisions made in its design. This video is split into multiple parts: Part 2:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ax9uqV_mbY Part 3:...

1996-01-01 What can a family do if the national unemployment rate is over 50%, wages are a dollar or two a day, prices of food are increasing and may at times be even higher than in the USA, they have neither savings nor credit and there is no governmental safety net? For many, an option of last resort is...

2012-01-01 In the United States, as in many other countries, schoolyard and community gardens are gaining popularity. Such gardens have potential for much more than just contributing to food security. Participants learn about nutrition and growing food, and they connect in a deeper way with where food comes...

2016-01-25 When trying to find affordable planting containers in the developing world, organizations and workers all over have promoted the use of a readily-available waste resource: tires. Over the years, many have asked whether or not tires contain harmful chemicals that could potentially be taken up by...

By Abdoulaye Seck The Microgardening technology is mainly based on 1 or 0.5 m2 wood tables and therefore, can be installed everywhere. Land is an issue in peri-urban/urban and even in some rural areas. The technology can be installed everywhere in household compounds (even in terraces and...

1983-06-19 I first read of this method of gardening in Organic Gardening magazine where it was referred to as permanent mulch gardening. My reaction was that there must be something wrong with anything so easy or everyone would be using it. But our garden has performed so exceptionally well with so little...

This resource generously provided for publication by Global Service Corps. Over the last two years keyhole gardens have been promoted in different communities throughout different programmes in African countries. They are popular and productive across vastly different environments and cultures....

2008-01-20 The district of Mafeteng was selected for a pilot project carried out between November 2004 and May 2008 to support food and nutrition security and livelihoods of vulnerable HIV-affected communities, in particular orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). This initiative was supported under the...

2014-07-01 In Haiti, a Yard Garden program is helping families and individuals to make real change in the area surrounding their homes. The results, described and pictured in some photos below, can be impressive! Mark Hare with MPP describes the program as follows: “The Yard Garden program is not about...

2013-12-01 Brad Ward has many years of experience in agricultural finance as a loan officer and underwriter, and has reviewed and advised on hundreds of business and farm plans. Currently he works on the North Coast of Honduras as the farm manager for Cornerstone Farm/Hospital Loma de Luz. He also works...

2010-04-01 This article is from ECHO Asia Note #5 Across Asia, small institutions such as children's homes play an essentialrole in caring for orphans and other young people at risk. Likewise, hostels (i.e., boarding facilities) provide disadvantaged students with safe places tostay in order to further...

2004-07-01 Training in tire gardening was done with women in Mauritania. After the training, each woman was given several small packets of seeds and encouraged to start a garden. When we arrived in Kiffa, the only vegetable gardens that could be found were in an ancient riverbed (known as a Wadi) northwest...

We pilot innovative approaches to greening refugee camps and communities by building capacity, monitoring effectiveness, disseminating good practice and sharing knowledge. We aim to stimulate research, influence policy and advocate for the importance of gardens in forced displacement. In all our...

2010-01-01 Amazon.com Description Filled with marketing and business management basics and diverse examples that entertain and enlighten. Case studies show how successful metrofarmers possess the vision and persistence to prosper. Bob Hoftetter, New Farm Magazine There is a tremendous amount of useful...

1996-12-01 Amazon.com Description The number of people living in cities will more than double in by the year 2033. At the same time it is clear that past incentives to keep the developing World's people in rural areas have not worked. This text presents a picture of the urban agriculture of Asia, Africa and...

2009-07-02 This book provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge of the potential and challenges associated with the multiple roles, use, management and livelihood contributions of indigenous vegetables in urban agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. There has been growing research and policy effort...

1990-08-19 INTRODUCTION TO OUR SPECIAL EXPANDED ISSUE. One of ECHO's purposes is to help people grow food under difficult conditions. You are not likely to encounter a soil worse for gardening than a cement slab. Neither will you find such large areas of unused growing space in full sun and near prime...

2008-07-20 For 25 years, ECHO has promoted several methods for growing vegetables above ground, particularly methods well suited to urban settings on rooftops, concrete slabs, or in areas where gardens may benefit from being out of the ground

INUAg.org is an up-to-date, organized and searchable resource for individuals, communities and organizations interested in urban agriculture. We are striving to be comprehensive in geography, sector, topic, growing methods, business models, policy and other topics as urban agriculture grows.

2017-11-14 This session is based on the speaker's research into homegardens in two low-income areas of Fort Myers, FL. A summary of relevant scientific literature will be presented, followed by the research results. These results include a list of plant species, and descriptions of homegarden structure,...

Abstract,Acta Horticulturae1189, 2017 Urban agriculture is increasingly popular for social and economic benefits. However, edible crops grown in cities can be contaminated by airborne pollutants, thus leading to serious health risks. Therefore, a better understanding of contamination risks of...

Ugandans are finding creative solutions to the growing challenges of urbanisation. Urban farms in Kampala, Uganda, make the most of their limited space. When Martin Agaba realised his urban farm had run out of space, he decided the solution was not to expand outwards but upwards. “We realised we...

2018-11-20 Most hunger and malnutrition around the world is not usually caused by a lack of food, although that may be changing. From the point of view of the hungry family, the cause is usually a lack of income sufficient to purchase the food. Anyone with enough income will be able to obtain food, except...

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ECHOcommunity.org is the online collaborative membership community of ECHO, an international nonprofit organization. ECHO exists to reduce hunger and improve lives through agricultural training and resources. Working through regional impact centers around the world ECHO connects small-scale farmers, and those working to eliminate world hunger, with essential resources, and each other. These resources include a vast knowledgebase of practical information, experienced technical support and an extensive seed bank focused on highly beneficial underutilized plants.